Learning C(a/u)rve

We spent all day at the studio but when we got home I had the chance to try out my new buddy!

A Speedball carving set, handle and five blades.

I've been wanting to learn how to carve stamps for awhile, but for one reason or another have always hesitated. Today I decided that I was just going to go for it, so Dave and I went to a local art supply shop and picked up the carving set, a brayer, and two kinds of carving blocks (the cheaper, crumblier gray block and the pricier, rubberier pink block).

Step one: The drawing of a little Day of the Dead-ish figure on a post-it note that I transferred to the gray, crumbly block.

I carved out the stamp and inked it up with black acrylic craft paint to get a first impression.

Then I made a couple of small adjustments and carved out the background and made this next impression:

Still needs a little cleaning up, but otherwise I like it!

The stamp itself is kind of scary looking, don't you think?

I'll definitely be doing more of these. I'm fascinated by the process. The Brain has a hard time figuring out the negative, reverse-image impression aspect of it and I'm sure the first time I try to carve words should be fun.